Audio-Technica AT-PEQ3 - Phono preamplifier Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this based on a recommendation from Stereophile Magazine. I saw the previous review about the loud hum and assumed that there was some sort of ground loop problem in their setup. When I got the unit and set it up, I was dismayed to hear a loud hum in my setup as well. After some experimenting I was able to eliminate the hum. Now the unit is dead quiet and sounds great.
At first I set up the turntable using the grounding post on the pre-amp. After hearing the hum, I grounded the turntable directly to the amplifier, but had the signal running through the pre-amp, and now everything is fine. I suspect more modern turntables (and more modern amps) won't have this problem.
I highly recommend this unit. It sounds noticeably better than the phono pre-amp in my ancient Sansui 1000a.


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Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)Despite the current fad for multi-channel audio/video receivers, the majority of people still listen to music with two speakers and only need a two-channel stereo receiver to drive them. As fanatic audiophiles with excellent stereo speakers, my wife and I recently purchased this receiver because of very good previous experience with Yamaha electronics products. This is a superb receiver in all respects. Some people may think that they need more than this receiver's rated power of 50 watts per channel, but Yamaha's power ratings are extremely conservative and this receiver will drive virtually any speakers to deafening levels (which I don't recommend doing). More important than it's ample power is its very low distortion. Yamaha specializes in low distortion products for very clean sound. In addition to robust power and ultra-low distortion the RX-397 has a full complement of controls, plus an easy to use remote. But as a fanatic audiophile another feature, typical of Yamaha, which I particularly appreciate is a button which sends the signal from our CD player (or any other non-phono cartridge input) directly to the amplifier -- bypassing the preamp circuitry, which is not needed except when playing LPs (which most people rarely do these days) -- for the lowest distortion and best signal to noise ratio. There are plenty of slighty less expensive -- and less good -- stereo receivers available, but if you want suberb performance at a moderate price I highly recommend this Yamaha.

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Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver, 100W, Superior Sound Quality with Pure Direct Switch, Linear Damping, High Dynamic Power and Advanced Circuits

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TCC TC-760LC BLACK Moving Magnet / Moving Coil Phono Preamp w/Level Control Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a smooth sounding preamp, and the price is right. My one disappointment is that I had assumed you'd be able to connect two moving coil turntables at the same time and switch between them, but you can't. You could connect one MC and one MM turntable simultaneously, but I don't use MM cartridges. I place the blame on myself, for not doing a little research and reading the small print. Otherwise, you forget it's there, which is the whole point. I'm about to get a tube preamp, costing several times as much, for my other MC turntable. I'll then be able to compare it to this one and hear whether the extra money was worth it.

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TCC TC-750 BLACK Audiophile Phono Preamp, Pre-amp (Preamplifier) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have a fairly large collection of operas on LP's and had been having a friend transfer some of them to CD's. Unfortunately he seemed to have trouble keeping system noises, humming and buzzing, from entering the recordings so I decided to try for myself. I have an old Technics direct drive turntable equipped with a Stanton pickup. I read another review on the TC-750 which impressed me, so since this preamp was relatively inexpensive I decided to give it a try. It arrived shortly after ordering particularly for Hawaii, and I hooked the turntable up to the TC-750 and that in turn to a VCR which is plugged into the sound card of my computer. Using Nero software that came with a Sony DVD burner I captured several of the operas and burned them onto CD's. I cannot emphasis to much how elated I am with the sound. It is absolutely clean and smooth. The sound reproduction is perfect. I am totally estatic with the performance of the relatively inexpensive TC-750 phono preamp, and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to connect a magnet phono pickup to a standard audio imput.

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TECHNICS SL-1200MK2 Turntable Review

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(More customer reviews)Occasionally a piece of equipment comes along that is so well designed, well built and far ahead of the pack that it defines the state of the art and any major improvements are not only unnecessary but impossible. 30 some odd years ago Technics released the first SL1200 direct drive turntables and defined what phono turntables should be; affordable, reliable, excellent. In the 30 years since then there have only been minor revisions to the SL1200.
If you're like me and you have a vinyl fetish the 1200 MK2 is the turntable to buy, the extra heavy duty construction that made this deck so popular with DJs at clubs serves audiophiles just as well at home. The 1200MK2 is impossibly smooth; turn it on and watch as the platter gets up to speed in a single rotation, the platter speed is incredibly accurate, again, this sets the standard. Combined with a properly installed cartridge (I use a Shure Type 15 VMR) this turntable will give you years of pleasure from your record collection

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